


Four Weddings and A Funeral

by BloodyPriestess



Category: Super Gals! Kotobuki Ran
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Drama, F/M, Gasp! Me? Write smut??? I will flipping try!, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Anime, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Series, Rare Pairings, Romance, Slow Burn, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags... here be spoilers! :(, Unconventional Pairings, post-manga
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:08:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24337174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyPriestess/pseuds/BloodyPriestess
Summary: When Rei Otohata got over his little crush twelve years ago, he was fine, moved on and lived a fulfilled life. It took four weddings and a funeral to take him in and out of Tokyo, London, Paris, & New York, and further away from where was destined to be.[[:*Unlikely pairing: RKxRO *Diverges from canon *Rating T, later M]]
Relationships: Aso Yuya/Honda Mami, Kotobuki Ran/Kuroi Tatsuki, Kotobuki Sayo/Iwai Masato, Kotobuki Taizo/Kotobuki Kiyoka, Kotobuki Yamato/Yamazaki Miyu, Otohata Rei/Hoshino Aya, Otohata Rei/Kotobuki Ran, Rei Otohata/Ran Kotobuki
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Four Weddings and A Funeral

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse me, I am a sucker for impossible pairings. There's something about a romance of what could have been!
> 
> I don't own Gals! What I have are plot bunnies and a ghost to exorcise. Who is this ghost? Why it's my headcanon Rei. Perhaps if I write what he's been whispering to me all these years... I can lay him to rest.
> 
> If you don't like this pairing, please skip this one. I am not here to pick fights or force my preferences on others. Let's keep this civil, shall we? I repeat, don't like it, please don't read. Thank you.
> 
> Warnings: *Slightly AU; some characters acting OOC. *No beta reader. *English is not my first language. Any grammatical errors are my own or intentional for characterization/plot/prose. *Rating T, (possibly becoming an M?) Will change it if the need arises. *Language, mature themes and scenes. *Drama! Drama! Drama!
> 
> [originally posted on ff.net]

* * *

...

As always, to~

_all who loved and lost_

and to

_all who lost and yet, loved again…_

...

* * *

**Chapter One**

> " _Tell me not that I am too late._
> 
> _That such precious feelings are gone forever..._
> 
> _Dare not say man forgets sooner than woman,_
> 
> _that his love has an earlier death._
> 
> _I have loved none but you_." ― Jane Austen, Persuasion

* * *

He was late and she was waiting. Or so Rei Otohata fantasized.

The gravel path crunched beneath his well-polished dress shoes as he trekked up the slight slope to the chapel. Finally, reaching the pinnacle he lifted his eyes and saw... her.

With wildflowers in her sun-streaked hair and a rustic bouquet in her hands, she looked unquestionably lovely and uncharacteristically serene. She was bathed in the warm, early afternoon sun. Her long, flowing, soft blue, gold-accented bridesmaid dress reminded him of a woodland nymph under infinite summer skies.

Hm, who said he couldn't be deep and poetic? And that year he spent studying art before ultimately dropping out to pursue a degree in finance, did not find a way to seep into his bones?

He stopped in his tracks and tried to think of the best way to approach her.

She gazed down at something in her hand. The movement brought up a memory.

In his mind's eye, he saw himself gaze down unto her sleeping form. Her head tucked against his shoulder. Her body pressed against his side. With his free hand, he reached out and unclasped the fist she laid between their naked throats. Satisfied, now that her palm was smoothed against his heart. He drew her closer, tighter... securely against him. In slumber, she did not resist.

If only they stayed that way.

_If I don't play this right... It might be another two years before I'd see her again._

And the chapel's bells started to toll and peal, sending idle birds to flight.

To his far left, a vintage automobile decked in wildflowers of white, soft blue and pale gold drove up and stopped in the middle of the driveway. To his right, a crowd began to file out of a little white chapel. Dressed in shades of beige and gold, the guests looked like a steady river of gold.

A bride's request, no doubt. And in this autumn afternoon sunshine, the effect was picturesque.

The crowd partially obscured her from him for a moment before they _en masse_ turned to the entrance where the bride and groom emerged. The cameras flashed as flower petals and rice rained down on the happy couple between them.

His focus did not waver from her face. On closer scrutiny, he saw those clear, light brown, sepia eyes shining with emotion. She stood apart from the crowd as he did. She, holding on to her bouquet and he, holding to memories of how her heat gripped him— _Gods, what's wrong with me?_

He remained rooted where he stood and just tried to memorize her face... and the lines, dips, and curves of her body in that dress. Recalling, thinking, feeling how they felt beneath his wandering, grasping, kneading hands.

 _Oh yes. Save that for tonight_. He thought wryly as he subtly adjusted his stance. _Otohata, you're one masochistic fool._

As the groom bent down and kissed the bride, he could almost feel the warmth of her tears spread from the corners of her eyes down her cheeks.

 _Tears on her face_. A memory stirred. And he had to breathe through his parted mouth. _I've tasted those tears._

He had the urge to gather her in his arms. He knew she was never the one for public displays of affection, but she looked so damn sad and forlorn. To hell with his reputation as a cold, calculating Wall Street investor. This had always been something he never wished on his worst enemy, to see on anyone especially someone who he shared an... extensive history.

But the instincts of a child of absentee parents kicked in and he drew into himself and started observing and rationalizing. She was fearless, strong-willed, and battle-ready. He reminded himself, thrusting a hand into his dark blue suit pants pocket. For several years now, a respected international journalist and correspondent. By all accounts, she provided to be a capable, strong woman despite her rocky high school academic record.

_Where do I fit in? Does she even need someone like me?_

This wasn't the first time he asked this question. 

Then, her dewy eyes met his cool assessing ones. She did not turn away. Her eyes unflinchingly returned his stare. Reminiscent of how they stared him down on that fateful first meeting twelve years ago.

Has it been twelve years when she proved she was not a Gal to be trifled with? Gods, he was so wrong when he claimed how to handle a Gal like her.

Despite his wounded sixteen-year-old pride, he grew a begrudging yet growing respect for her. Yes, though he found her annoying―the loud voice, the overdone clothes, the shameless freeloading, the unwanted relationship meddling, the unfocused energy, and untapped potential. He was helplessly drawn.

Because he saw in her warped sense of justice, she fiercely cared, protected, and nurtured those she loves. She unerringly set a fearless, brisk pace to her ideals, made up her own rules and held fast, and rarely ever looked back in regret.

In his warped way, he often admired and respected people so unlike him. Rei couldn't make active choices without caution and cool calculation. And she was open and ardently genuine in everything she does.

But what sealed his fate was her romantic obliviousness. At the time, he was certain she did not feel the same way about him. As she was so focused on being genuine to her ideal self. And decided to purge himself by allowing her to draw him within her circle.

 _Familiarity, breeds contempt_.

But, it did NOT work. Instead, he learned how to control and coolly manage himself around her and her friends. He could mimic-- with frightening accuracy-- someone who didn't care.

In retrospect, he should have opted for distance. _Distance makes the heart grow fonder_ , right?

He let out a short, soft, self-deprecating laugh. Whichever way he took, he was inescapably screwed. He never stood a chance.

Believing he did not have any romantic feelings for her was a lie. A lie he believed and maintained for well for most of his life.

Little did he know back then, what he denied simply rooted deep. Was forgotten at the same time he found a sweet, gentle love.

A dark cloud passed over his features and he had to pause and remind himself where he was. And what he needed to do.

From across the way, she tilted her head as if to ask a question.

He broke eye contact and slowly bowed his head in her direction. Her lips shifted slightly as she brought up her gloved hand in a small wave.

And just like that, the two-year stand-off was over. She saw him and he saw her after all these years.

_Is that it? How anti-climatic._

Rei could not deny that all he felt and thought he had buried and forgotten came back to him now. And it was potent as ever.

 _Gods preserve me._ He knew her for a total of twelve years. Here they stood, across for each other once again. A little more than good acquaintances.

 _Well_ , he reluctantly conceded, _exempting that one late-summer night in New York six years ago_. That evening, they got really acquainted. _Too strong. Too scorching. Too short. Too damn late, she said._

A wedding attendant appeared at her side and started to urgently whisper. She nodded at her fellow attendant and started to turn away from Rei.

This was not the first time she turned her back on him.

"Ran!"

Her sepia eyes looked steadily into his as her lips formed a word. "Otohata."

He was back. He was ready. He'd be damned first before he'd let her stubbornness overpower his again.

* * *

**End of Chapter One**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Who am I kidding? This will be an M-rated story. It seems headcanon Rei is one thirsty boy.
> 
> Thank you for your time. Be safe out there. X
> 
> Now that we've tangled this story. It's time to unravel it!


End file.
